ABOVE: Agents have turned their backs on new licence agreement at NRLX.
Susanna Freymark
There are no sales listed for this week at the Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange in Casino.
The cattle yards are empty.
The standoff between Richmond Valley Council and cattle agents continues.
Neither is budging.
Council general manager Vaughan Macdonald said a “fair and reasonable offer, which is favourable against industry standards, remains on the table for an agency to sign”.
“Until signed we are not able to allow sales at the NRLX,” Mr Macdonald said.
IndyNR.com asked the Casino Auctioneers Association for comment. The association has still not responded, despite saying more than a week ago that a media statement would be released.
The Richmond River Beef Producers Association said it extended its full support for the Casino Combined Agents in their dispute with the NRLX.
“We believe that the Casino Saleyards should not be compared to other large saleyards because of the age and size of cattle in the local market, average pen size and the cattle dip,” the association said.
“The NRLX makes no mention of what the overall fees to vendors might be.”
The NRLX released a statement: “There will be no sale at the NRLX this Wednesday, July 5. At the time of writing, no agencies have signed the 2023-26 Licence Agreement offered to them. As such we are unable to conduct sales at the facility until the licences are signed.”
NRLX said the truck wash would remain open for all livestock carriers with AVDATA keys.
Transit livestock and feeding of livestock can be arranged with livestock coordinator David Binney on 0448 391 231 or Bradley Willis on 0408 203 654.
What happens next?
That depends on someone making a move to end this standoff.
A closed saleyard is not good for anyone.
